Cancer

When you go to a hospital, you are interested in many things concerning your disease. Here is a list of different questions you should think about and they will help you to formulate the questions you will ask your doctor.

Questions about cancer and how to cure it:

• What is my kind of cancer?
• Is it a primitive or a far gone stage of cancer?
• Do you have abundant experience of treating my sort of cancer?
• Do you practice some effective way of treatment and what are the alternatives?
• Is this opportunity available to try all of these treatments?
• If no, what are the other ways of treatment?
• What are the pluses and minuses and side effects of these alternatives?
• Do I have good chances or little chances of success?
• Is the sum of my insurance enough?
• Will I recover completely or should I have some cure later?
• Where can I find the information about clinical trials concerning my sort of cancer?
• What other tests should be done at first?
• Which tests can help to distinguish whether I am cured in proper way?
• What is the frequency of doing these tests on different stages?
• Is it possible to choose another way of treatment if the first one doesn’t help?
• What is the duration of the treatment?
• How often should I be examined by you in the process of treatment and after it?
• How can personally I help you? What notes should I take and what should I tell you?

Questions about predictions and the risk extent:

• Are you sure that this treatment will help me to recover completely?
• If not, what aim are you to achieve?
• What are your predictions about how long I can live with my type of cancer: two, five years or maybe more?

Questions when you decide about applying different methods of treatment:

• What possible side effects can I have?
• What information about the state of my health should I give you, whether I have fever, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, etc.?
• Whom can I consult when I have some difficulties at time off or on week-ends?
• Can I do anything to forestall or supervise these side effects?
• Will I be able to drive myself to and from the treatment?
• Should I take any necessary precautions at home (regarding children, pets)?
• Can I do have my usual lifestyle/will I be able to do the things and to visit the places I used to?
• Will my sex life change somehow and can I have children?
• Do you recommend me to keep to a diet?
• Are there any written sources concerning my treatment?
• Where in the internet can I find the information?